In the game of golf, a “putt” is a stroke used in short-distance shots on or near the putting green, generally with the goal of placing the ball in the hole. For these types of strokes, a specialized golf club called a “putter” is typically used. Putters are differentiated from other types of clubs (such as “irons” and “woods”) by a striking surface or “club head” with a very flat, low-profile, low-loft striking face, and by other features which, by game regulation, are only allowed on putters. Such features include bent shafts, non-circular grips, and positional guides.
Putting is often a deciding factor in a game of golf. While the player's skill at putting is an important factor in deciding success, another important contributing factor is the putting device and its performance characteristics. Therefore, many types of putters and putter heads are available to golfers today. Further, many training aids are also available to assist players in improving their putting skills and mechanics.
A golfer's success at putting can be significantly affected by how familiar the golfer is with the particular putter he or she is using. Even slight differences in the weight, grip configuration, putter head shape, size, angle, and striking surface of the club can have a significant impact on the mechanics of the player's putting stroke and the resulting path and velocity of the ball. However, during a competitive game of golf, a player who has been practicing with a putting training aid generally must use a different putter designed for actual play. Changing to a different putter may negatively affect the golfer's play. A performance benefit could be gained by using a putter that could be adapted for both training and for competitive play.
Hence, a need exists for a golf putter that can simultaneously satisfy desired training requirements while being adaptable to a configuration suitable for competitive play. In addition, a significant need exists for such a golf putter where the putter head can be quickly and easily changed from a training configuration to a competitive play configuration. Further, a need exists for such a putter where the operational parameters of the putter are generally consistent when moving from a training mode to a play mode.